Life After Happily Ever After
by queenjezebel
Summary: We all know the story: You-Know-Who was defeated, Harry and Ginny got married and had kids and everything was perfect.... Right? How much longer can the Boy-Who-Lived live a mediocre life and how much will a mysterious witch change things for good?
1. Chapter 1

_Whey brand new story ^_^ something i randomly came up with whilst bored of coursework. I hope you all like it! Rate & Review it makes me a very happy girl!_

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If there was one thing that Harry Potter could be certain of, it was the fact that Muggle coffee tasted miles better than that made by wizard coffee shops. The faint taste of magic always left that awkward after taste in his mouth, a mixture of something like sawdust and oak, as if a slug had used his mouth as a warm-up track. Harry was sometimes sure he was the only one who noticed it but it nonetheless made him hesitant of tasting anything brewed with the aid of magic.

He loved the aromatic smell of freshly ground coffee, the sounds of the Muggle coffee machines, the way you instantly felt at home when you got a whiff of that just brewed coffee. As a young boy he had never liked the stuff. It was too bitter and too strong for his young and delightfully sweet taste buds. But as he progressed through life and his taste in things developed (and his sudden need for as much caffeine as possible on a Monday morning) he felt compelled to have at least one a day. He wasn't picky as to which coffee he liked either. On a nice summer afternoon he liked to enjoy a refreshing iced mocha. In autumn he enjoyed cappuccinos with an extra espresso shot. But the favourite pass-time of Harry's in the many coffee shops he frequented happened in the winter months when he would settle into a routine of "let's try the most random coffee on the list". This game included Harry would transition into the warmth and glow of the coffee shop after braving the harsh English winter and pick a coffee with the oddest added extras he could find on the list. This varied from coffee shop to coffee shop. Some of his favourites included Cinnamon and Vanilla , Almond and Chai Spices as well as the not so successful like Walnut and Orange or Peanut butter and Rum (the latter probably not being a good choice before a working day).

It was these mini experiments that led him to the cosy coffee place that led to be his favourite. No other coffee shop he encountered offered him such selection. From the ordinary to the downright strange. In fact that described the coffee shop in itself. In the most fashionable part of Muggle London there was a road known as "the road of a thousand dreams". The nickname was given by a local university known for its trend setters. It contained numerous galleries, boutiques, antique shops and one tiny and rather lavishly decorated coffee shop. "The Scene Beane" was decorated with a mixture of circus and vaudeville flair, French antique knickknacks and crockery that did not match but nonetheless complimented each other perfectly. It continually amazed Harry that this place was run by Muggles but thanked its avantgardeness for his ability to wear his work robes and still fit in amongst the trend setters of student London.

Well as much as Harry could fit in, a 30 something year old man in flowing robes amongst the 20 something trend setters in their bright and rather strange attire. But whether he fit in or not Harry made a point to frequent the little shop at least twice a week on his way to work. He knew it would be easier to Apparate or to Floo over to work but when it was such a short journey why waste the Floo powder which he would then stink of it for days to come when he could enjoy living in London each morning by taking the short walk through both the Muggle and wizarding streets.

Another thing that Harry Potter was sure of it was his love of routine. But could someone who loves routine become bored with the routine they've gotten themselves into? As a boy he got into a steady if not unpleasant routine with the Dursley's. This was then replaced with the stable, comfortable and warm routine of Hogwarts. This, Harry decided, has been and always be his favourite time of his life. Even with the imminence of You-Know-Who he maintained a normal life with morning breakfasts in the great hall, classes and quiet time with his friends in the common room. In those times Harry found it easy to be himself, not the Boy Who Lived, but just plain old Harry Potter trying to find a girlfriend whilst warding off bullying Malfoy's and detention with Snape. But now Harry found himself in an altogether different routine.

In the years after the war Harry had trained and worked as a well renowned Auror and he was good at it, he defeated the biggest threat to the wizarding world in his lifetime hadn't he? He loved his job and everything seemed good in his life. That was until Ginny became pregnant. Ginny at this time was working with the Ministry in Dark Arts reversal and was considered one of the best in the world. So therefore the Potter-Weasleys had a dilemma. One of them would have to give up time at their job and spend more time at home with little James and Harry, being the man, had his decision made for him and now 11 years later Harry maintained a mediocre office job in the ministry offices whilst occasionally doing some field work training to young trainees whilst Ginny was off travelling the world giving lectures and carrying out secret trips for the ministry living out her dream job.

Ask Harry and he would never complain, he loved his son. He had the wits of the Potter and the humour of a Weasley. He over-saw his education, coached his local Qudditch team, made him lunch and taught him to fly. Being a father was one of the happiest things Harry could ever imagine. He remembered how it felt as a young man not knowing his own father and he was determined to be there for James all he could.

For 11 years his routine revolved around his little work and his family life but now he was beginning to feel the bitter sting of boredom. In the summer Harry and Ginny had waved off their son as well as their niece to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They had been reluctant to let him go but remembering the joy they had felt in their many years spent there they smiled and watched as the train pulled out the station. James sent regular owls but the fact still remained that the spacious 4 bedroom house felt empty without his mess and his chatter and Harry sorely missed him being in the house.

Another problem with his current situation was his position with his wife. He loved Ginny, he had loved her since his childhood but her job kept her away from home most of the time. Death Eater rising in Paris, conference in Milan, Dark spells in America. Harry couldn't remember the last time he had a full conversation with his wife let alone done anything more intimate. He prided himself for being able to control his desires but he was only human and his libido wasn't non-existent.

In short, Harry Potter was not loving life.

It was these thoughts that led him to his favourite coffee shop where he preceded to sit in his favourite seat (the red heart shaped chair next to a low glass coffee table in the back corner of the shop) order his favourite drink (vanilla and caramel cappuccino) and watch the passing students go about their lives as he lamented on where he went wrong. He watched as the Muggle teen's chattered and laughed away. Next to him a girl and her boyfriend were having a fight on whether he cheated, across the room a geeky looking boy was stressing and tapping away at his computer at full speed whilst he sat there innocently sipping his coffee. He wished he could be a carefree student again instead of an adult completely at a loss for what to do with his life.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"Come on Ginny," Harry purred into the year of his wife as they lay in bed together. It was the first night since he could remember that they had actually spent a night in the same bed together. Ginny had a habit of coming home from god knows where in the early hours of the morning when Harry was still in bed or just staying in a hotel until the next morning. It was safe to say that Harry was missing the intimacy.

His wife stirred and made a groan of protest, "Harry its late and I have work tomorrow. Please just leave it" she muttered without even turning to look at the man she had married.

"Ginny, do you even know how long it's been since we've had sex!" He flared.

"Don't act like a horny teenager Harry, Leave me alone" She sighed still facing the opposite direction.

"How can you think this isn't a big deal Gin? I never see you, I never speak to you. I MISS YOU!" Harry had had enough he grabbed his pillow and stormed out the room full of a mix of rage and sexual tension.

"Harry you're being ridiculous!" She shouted as he left the room, now up and aware of her enraged husband. But he wasn't listening, he was too mad.

And so the boy who lived slept on the sofa for the first time since he married his childhood sweetheart and relieved himself the only way he could, with his own hand.

Little did he know this one event would completely change the next few months of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

_I like this story, i'm getting into it now! (: _

_Thanks for all the story updates i've been getting also **reviewwwwwww **it makes my day when the weather is horrible .... which it is!_

_Please and thankyou!_

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After Harry had stormed down to sleep on the sofa that night he had done it every night since, not even stopping to exchange a word with his wife as he dressed or showered in the morning. Not that he would need to. Ginny had, ever so conveniently, been shipped off to Merlin knows where for Merlin knows how long to tackle Merlin knows what. He wanted to say he missed her but the feeling of missing his wife had been felt for so long that it was just a dull ache overwhelmed by a more powerful built up sexual tension and anger that took hold of him every time he remembered the way it once was with his wife.

To make matters worse he was growing increasingly bored with his job for the ministry. His small desk job that once was a godsend because it meant he could stay home with James more was now a chore. A mix of papers and desk work and the mediocrity of it slowly started to irritate the man who was once the most powerful wizard of his generation.

He was lost in his irritated mutterings that he didn't notice the stare of a woman across the room.

Once again he was sitting in his favourite cafe on the road of a thousand dreams. He had turned up a little earlier than usual wanting nothing more to sit amongst the aromas of the cute coffee shop and let the smell cheer him up and make him feel at home in ways his actual home never would.

She would have been stupid if she hadn't noticed him. He was in practically every day and had been for at least the last 3 months. She noticed the way he always went to the same table and the same chair. She noticed how he would scrunch his nose and ponder what to get in his coffee which would change daily. She noticed that on good days he would go adventurous and on bad days, the days he would walk in looking lost or sad, he would order and vanilla and caramel cappuccino and clutch the mug close to him like it was all that mattered. Of course she noticed the obvious things too. The way his hair fell wispy over his forehead that held a small scar. The way he pushed his glasses up constantly. The beautiful emerald colour of his eyes.

But just as expected, he never once noticed her.

She had tried, Merlin knows she had tried! She tried flirting, she tried hard to get. She tried obvious flattery but he had never seemed to see her there. She was only a cashier that gave him coffee from behind a counter. She knew why though, he was married, she had seen the ring. Not to mention the fact that she could tell he was well into his thirties whilst she had barely entered her twenties but everyone loves a challenge don't they?

"You look like you need another one" She smiled sweetly and set the coffee down on the table in front of him. It took him so much longer to register what was going on that it should have. He looked from the coffee in his hand to the coffee on the table and the girl standing in front of him and back to the coffee again. All he registered was the now coldness of the one in his hand and the sweet smell of the one in front of him.

"Ha! Do I really look that bad?" He laughed as he exchanged cups, barely looking at the girl still standing before him.

"No" She laughed, "okay yes". He wanted to be annoyed but as he looked up all his frustration seemed to fade as he looked at the smiling face before him.

She wasn't especially tall, maybe 5"5. Or especially beautiful, no defining features that made her stand out. Her skin was clear but had obvious make-up, her nose was small and button like, her face round. He couldnt help but think she was what a pixie would look like. It was the way she held herself that seemed to amaze him. She held her head high and with a dignity he hadn't seen since the pure-blood types of Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. Speaking of a Malfoy she bore more resemblances' to them than just her way of holding herself. She had long white blonde hair that reached to her elbow, it was flecked with purple and red and blue and on anyone else he would have swore it looked silly but on her it worked. Her eyes were a piercing ice-blue but they sparkled like the Hogwarts Lake in the summer. It was safe to say Harry was at a loss for words.

"Oh god .... That was really rude wasn't it! I'm so sorry. Shit, I always put my foot into things" The girl suddenly sparked into animation and began talking furiously and waving her hands as she spoke like a startled bird.

"Whoa whoa! Don't worry. I'm not offended! You just caught me off guard!" He tried to calm the girl down and after a little reassurance she stopped her ramblings and settled into the chair opposite. He couldn't help but think she looked rather adorable with her cheeks all red and puffed out.

"I'm sorry; you just looked a little lost. Thought you could use another. You're in here so much I've memorised your order" she giggled, trying to soften what she said because in her head she could have swore she sounded like a stalker.

"Yeah... I suppose I am a little lost" He laughed dryly. He would usually have spoken to Hermione or Ron or even Remus at a time like this but recently they had all seemed to fade away. The happy couple had taken a second honeymoon since waving off Rose to Hogwarts and been wrapped up in love ever since. Remus was still working at Hogwarts and from his last letter was romantically involved with someone new. Although he never said any names in his letters, but even his last letter from his once mentor was at least 3 or 4 months ago.

He sighed, He had no friends, no wife to be comforted by and he was probably late for a job he despised.

"Penny for your thoughts?" The mysterious girl was still sitting across from him and still smiling that smile that tugged away at Harry's insides in a way he hadn't felt since his teenage years.

"Just thinking about where my life went" He replied bitterly. No use mincing his words was there?

"Heavy. Look at it this way. At least you don't work in a coffee shop 7 days a week doting on university students who probably get more tuition money in a month that I make in a year" She smiled.

He tried to feel sadness around her, but just somehow he couldn't.

"Yeah .... That does suck" He laughed. A real genuine laugh. The kind he hadn't heard from his lips in quite some time. It felt good.

"Oh well. I get to wait on cute men who order the most random drinks combinations I've ever heard" She smiled as she lifted herself gracefully from her chair, "god, I better go, cant dilly dally all day can I!" She had a way of looking completely put together but all at the same time looking like a thrown together mix of everything he could think of.

"Do you own this place?" he got up, following the girl to the counter, noticing he was probably very late.

"Of course! Think I'd work in a dump like this temporarily" She laughed from behind the counter.

"Wow... you're so young!" He smiled, she was young. He could tell she could be no more than 25 at the most and even that was hard to believe.

"Just jealous.... old man" she winked and continued to clean a cup from the sink, "Fancy another?" She pointed to the coffee machine.

"No, I should really be getting to work. Thank you though miss...."

"Adelaide"

"Harry" He smiled and made his way towards the doors leading to the cafe ready to rush off to work in wizard quarter of London. He was in such a rush that he barely heard the girl laugh "I know" as he left.


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